Brig (ship type)
, the fastest brig in the Caribbean.]] A brig was a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts, one fore, one main; although some large brigs had three masts, like the Nemesis. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and maneuverable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. Their use dated back to before the 1600s, but were especially popular in the 18th century. They are not to be confused with a brigantine, which were not square-rigged. History , the toughest brig to ever sail in the Caribbean]] During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and maneuverable and were used as both naval warships and merchant ships. Their use dated back to before the 1600s. Brigs were two masted, square-rigged vessels. They were small, generally carrying no more than sixteen guns and 120 men. In order to sail closer to the wind, the mainmast carried a fore-and-aft sail (lateen rigged in the seventeenth century and gaff-rigged by the eighteenth) and several staysails. Brig sails were named after the masts to which they were attached: the mainsail; above that the maintopsail; above that the main topgallant sail; and occasionally a very small sail, called the royal, above that. The word "brig" had been used in the past as an abbreviation of brigantine (which was the name for a principally fore-and-aft two-masted rig with a square rigged foremast) distigushing the ship's rig from the 'snow' (a square rigged, two-masted rig with a small trysail mast on the main). The brig actually developed as a variant of the brigantine. By re-rigging a brigantine with two square sails instead of one it gained greater sailing power. Rigging Two masted brigs like [[HMS Interceptor|HMS ''Interceptor]] were generally square rigged, carrying jib sails hanging from the bowsprit, a square mainsail, topsail, and topgallant, also carrying optional royals. The mainsail has one of two sail plans; either a gaff-rigged mainsail, topsail, and topgallant (like Interceptor), or a square rigged mainsail, gaff rigged spanker sail, topsail, and topgallant. Optional staysails can be put between the two masts. Notable brigs *[[HMS Interceptor|HMS Interceptor]]Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide *[[HMS Hound|HMS Hound]] *[[HMS Blazer|HMS Blazer]] *''Dolphin'' *''Fancy'' *''Fair Wind'The Price of Freedom'' *''Henrietta'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' *''Paradox'' *''Nemesis'' *''Le Requin'' Behind the scenes *Brigs appear in the video game Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned. But, since the game was canceled, it is unknown if the ship type's appearance in the game is canon or not. *In Pirates of the Caribbean Online, War Brigs have three masts. Appearances *''The Price of Freedom'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Isles of War'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' *''Breakout!'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean Online'' Source *''Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)'' *''The Price of Freedom'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide'' External links * Notes and references de:Brigg (Schiffstyp) Category:Brigs Category:Ship types